One of the Chargers most ecstatic about the new additions is cornerback Jason Verrett.

“It was great for us to get them,” Verrett said. “When we drafted Rayshawn Jenkins from Miami, I texted Denzel (Perryman) quick and asked what he thought about him. Denzel said he was a dog, so it was nice to get that addition there and add more depth. With Desmond King from Iowa, I actually knew of him because he won the Jim Thorpe Award in 2015. I thought that was a great pick as a guy who can come in and help us out in that nickel position.”

Verrett, a semifinalist for that very award in 2013, calls King “special.”

“I watched his bowl games the year that he won the Thorpe. I was watching highlights of him and saw that he could ball. I actually heard during the draft (pundits) say that he kind of has similarities to my game. Just the fact that we got another ball-hawk in the secondary is special.”

Heading into his fourth season, Verrett knows what it was like to be in these rookies’ shoes. However, he also knows a defense is best when all 11 players on the field work together.

That’s why number 22 is not only looking forward to taking Jenkins and King under his wing, but he’s additionally eager to get their input on what they can do to make the Chargers defense a force to be reckoned with in 2017.

“I want to be able to pick their brains to see their strengths and weaknesses, and what they can do out on the field to help us. If we can get some ball hawks in the slot and nickel positions along with Casey (Hayward) and me on the outside, we could be dominant.” Read